Xiao Qi’s single statement immediately tugged at the heartstrings of everyone present.

Xiu Yue hurriedly glanced at Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng kept her tone as calm as possible to avoid putting pressure on the weakened youth: “Xiao Qi, are you talking about the people who kidnapped you, or the person who attacked you on the boat?”

Xiao Qi answered without hesitation: “The person who attacked me on the boat!”

“How do they look familiar? Where have you seen them before?”

Xiao Qi nodded slightly, straining to recall, then clutched his head with a pained expression.

Luo Sheng couldn’t bear to question him further and gently patted the youth’s hand: “Don’t think about it now. Sleep first, and we’ll talk more when you’re feeling better.”

“But they’re clearly so familiar—why can’t I remember?” Xiao Qi’s face scrunched up in frustration.

“There’s no rush. Since they seem familiar, you’ll remember eventually.” Luo Sheng consoled him in gentle tones.

The young woman’s voice was calm and soothing, like a spring breeze smoothing away one’s anxiety.

Xiao Qi obediently nodded.

“Let’s go outside first.”

Xiu Yue used a handkerchief to wipe Xiao Qi’s face: “Xiao Qi, rest for now. Your aunt will be just outside.”

Wei Han said nothing but gave the youth an encouraging nod.

Xiao Qi’s eyes widened slightly as doubt arose in his heart: Why is Prince Kaiyang here too?

As he watched the three reach the doorway, Xiao Qi’s somewhat muddled mind was suddenly split open by a flash of insight, making him blurt out: “I remember now!”

The three at the door simultaneously stopped and turned around.

“Xiao Qi remembers?”

Xiao Qi nodded.

“Then tell us.”

Xiao Qi didn’t make a sound, quickly glancing at Wei Han.

Wei Han’s brows drew together slightly.

Luo Sheng understood Xiao Qi’s meaning and said to Wei Han: “Your Highness has been busy for so long and must be tired. Why not go out and rest for a bit?”

Wei Han’s thin lips pressed tightly together.

He wasn’t tired.

However, since Miss Luo said so, he should go outside.

“Then I’ll wait for you outside.”

Luo Sheng instinctively felt something odd about Wei Han saying this, but couldn’t delve deeper at the moment, so she simply nodded.

Wei Han couldn’t help but curve his lips upward as he quickly walked out.

As for being ignored and guarded against by Xiao Qi, he paid it no mind at all.

He wouldn’t stoop to arguing with a child.

“There are no outsiders now. Speak.” Facing the conflicted Xiao Qi, Luo Sheng’s tone became even gentler.

“I don’t know if I’ve mistaken them—” Xiao Qi still hesitated.

Xiu Yue spoke up: “Xiao Qi, just say whatever you’re thinking. The adults will judge based on what you tell them.”

Xiao Qi nodded lightly before finally speaking: “Mistress, Aunt, you remember I was a mountain bandit, right?”

Luo Sheng and Xiu Yue exchanged glances.

This was certainly impossible to forget.

Mentioning his time as a mountain bandit, Xiao Qi’s eyes involuntarily gleamed with excitement: “Originally, Big Brother was leading us well. Under Big Brother’s leadership, our Black Wind Stronghold was thriving. Who would have thought that just a few months ago, many government soldiers suddenly began raiding strongholds like ours…”

Xiao Qi’s pallid face darkened with indignation: “When the government soldiers exterminated our Black Wind Stronghold, Big Brother hid me in a water vat. At the time, I secretly peeked out and saw a small squad of soldiers… Mistress, the person who tried to kill me today was in that squad of soldiers!”

The reason his impression was so vivid was because that person had passed by the water vat wanting a drink. At the time, he was so frightened he urinated in the vat.

No, he wasn’t scared—he was prepared to go all out. If he couldn’t kill them, he’d at least disgust them to death.

Fortunately, a commotion arose elsewhere and those people chased after it, so he escaped disaster.

When Xiao Qi thought about the experience of soaking in that water vat…

Could he forget it?

Even though that person had such an ordinary face, he couldn’t forget.

“Government soldiers?” Luo Sheng’s thoughts raced rapidly.

She was very clear about the reason for the extermination of mountain bandits along the route from Jinsha to the capital.

It was because she had told Grand Marshal Luo about being pursued on the journey to the capital, which led to Grand Marshal Luo dispatching people to suppress the bandits.

She remembered that the person Grand Marshal Luo had sent out was his adopted son, Yun Dong.

So was the person who boarded the boat to kill Xiao Qi one of Yun Dong’s men, or local government soldiers?

And regardless of which side they belonged to, the matter was becoming increasingly complex and mysterious.

“Oh right, Mistress, I’ve seen the leader that person followed!”

Luo Sheng collected her thoughts and looked at Xiao Qi.

Xiao Qi hesitated briefly before saying quietly: “It was at the North River hunting grounds. Sometimes he would accompany Grand Marshal Luo.”

Luo Sheng instantly thought of two people: Pingli and Yun Dong.

When attending the autumn hunt, Grand Marshal Luo only had two adopted sons in the capital, so he brought them both along—these two men.

“Do you know his name?”

Xiao Qi thought carefully, his eyes brightening: “I heard Fourth Miss call him Fifth Brother.”

Luo Sheng raised her eyebrows.

It really was Yun Dong!

“Alright, I understand now. Sleep well and don’t think about these things anymore.”

Xiao Qi nodded and closed his heavy eyelids.

Before long, the room echoed with the youth’s steady breathing.

“Miss—”

“Let’s talk outside.”

The two walked out one after the other.

Wei Han waited under the corridor eaves. Seeing Luo Sheng emerge, he immediately approached: “Has Xiao Qi fallen asleep?”

Luo Sheng nodded: “Just now.”

“Should we send him back to the tavern or Luo Manor?”

Luo Sheng frowned: “Xiao Qi’s body is still weak and shouldn’t be jostled about—”

A cold snort came: “The clinic doesn’t provide lodging.”

Luo Sheng smiled: “I was thinking of having Xiu Gu prepare three meals a day and send them over. Going back works too—it won’t be so troublesome then.”

When Divine Physician heard the words “Xiu Gu,” his ears perked up.

Sending meals?

Three times a day?

“Ahem.” Divine Physician Li coughed heavily once.

As Luo Sheng and the others looked over, the old man’s face grew serious: “However, this old man has taken a liking to this child, so I can make an exception and let him recuperate at the clinic for a day or two.”

“Then I’ll trouble you.” Luo Sheng curtsied slightly.

Divine Physician Li snorted irritably.

Hypocritical and cunning—this type of young lady would have trouble getting married.

His gaze touching on Wei Han, Divine Physician Li silently added to himself: Unless she encounters this kind of wooden stake—neither should look down on the other.

The two people crazily disdained by the old divine physician walked out of the clinic into night so thick it couldn’t be dissolved.

Along the entire street, only the lantern under the eaves of Youjian Tavern still glowed, though its light was faint and unable to reach the two of them.

Luo Sheng stopped.

Wei Han stopped accordingly.

Shi Huo prepared to stop but was pulled away by Shi Yan.

“Is Duke Anguo’s stable hand at Shi Yi’s place?”

“Yes.”

“I want this person.”

Wei Han found this phrasing somewhat grating, but didn’t say much, nodding: “Alright.”

Luo Sheng stood still for a moment.

“Miss Luo, let me escort you back to the manor.” Though Wei Han wouldn’t mind just continuing to stand here, thinking about how Miss Luo must also be tired after today’s running about, he took the initiative to speak.

Luo Sheng looked at him and decided to speak clearly.

She would shoulder her own affairs herself, but when it involved others, even out of respect—assuming the other party had the capacity to handle it—she should make things clear.

“There’s a matter that Your Highness may need to handle, otherwise it will bring me trouble.”

Trouble?

Wei Han’s smile vanished, his heart feeling somewhat cold.